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Actor Eddie Marsan rants about cyclists ignoring red lights and bike lanes; New Cav deal looks unlikely; Calls for infra after crash; 1-0 Sam Bennett; Reaction to L2B train ban; Bad parking; AOC's cycling dress; Tour of Britain doc + more on the live blog

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It's the middle of the week and Dan Alexander is here for your Wednesday dose of live blog action
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16:01
Brooklyn Bridge bike lane
14:57
"Next year Fabio Jakobsen will be our man for the Tour": Patrick Lefevere says Cav is looking to cash in as contract talks stall
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2021 Tour de France Cavendish - 1 (1)

Patrick Lefevere's been saying things again. Sorry if you're bored — this time it's about Cav...

The Deceuninck-Quick-Step team boss told Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that Cavendish is looking to cash in on his success, quotes that imply the 36-year-old may be closer to an exit than signing a new deal. Earlier this week whispers circled that Cav and Lefevere were struggling to agree terms for the Manxman to extend his stay, largely due to disagreements about financial terms and Tour de France participation.

That's despite the widely reported news that the team had offered Cav a one-year contract extension. Lefevere's latest comments show the pair still don't see eye-to-eye: "I respect Mark Cavendish. We saved his skin. We gave him all the tools. He took the challenge and he did it. And now it begins. Now he thinks it is time to cash in again.

"And then the next discussion begins, how much he should earn next year? That's a very difficult one, even for me. I can hardly give someone who wins four stages in the Tour and the green jersey, four stages in the Tour of Turkey and a stage in the Tour of Belgium the same wage as this year. Mark Cavendish has sky-high expectations in that regard and I'm very realistic. That's a difficult marriage.

"He's now starting to talk to me about his image. He says: 'with my image I am worth so much'. I say: 'your image in London is different from your image in West Flanders, with all due respect'. None of my West-Flemish sponsors are going to make amends to pay Mark Cavendish a higher wage for his image."

Another key sticking point appears to be Tour de France selection, something Lefevere cannot guarantee Cav, considering Fabio Jakobsen's meteoric reappearance at La Vuelta a España. Jakobsen won three stages and is seen as a safer bet by Lefevere...

"That's another thing. Mark always said the same thing: 'Next year it's up to Fabio, he's the fastest in the world, he's young, he has to go to the Tour'. Until he has now won four stages himself and has equalled Merckx's record.

"Now I feel that he wants to go to the Tour again next year. But I will not go to the Tour with two sprinters next year. Next year Fabio Jakobsen will be our man for the Tour. I understand him: imagine if he can win one more in the Tour, then Cavendish will go down in history. But should I take the risk of sacrificing someone who might be faster than Mark? For a record which is essentially of no use to us as a team. And then, if he breaks the record, he might ask me for a bonus too."

14:44
British Cycling announces routes for 2021 HSBC National Road Championships
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Lincoln GP _ credit British Cycling.jpg

British Cycling has released details about this year's HSBC UK National Road Championships, which will be held in Lincoln from 14-17 October. The championships, in a slightly unusual autumn slot in the calendar, will decide who wears the national champions' jerseys and, for the first time, all time trial, circuit race and road race events will be held during the same week.

The road races are the main event, and both the men's an women's events will be held on Sunday 17 October and centre around the famous cobbled Michaelgate climb. The men will take in 13 laps (166km), the women eight (101km).

The time trial events are the first races of the week and will be contested on Thursday 14 October on a circuit with 500ft (152m) climbing per lap. This means the elite men will rack up 450m (1,500ft) of ascent during the 44.7km challenge. The women's race is 29.4km.

"Lincoln’s roads have played host to some momentous bike races over the past five decades," British Cycling CEO Brian Facer said. "Bringing the three championships together into a single week is great news for fans of our sport and highlights our commitment to evolving our major events."

13:59
Sonny Colbrelli shows off his new European champ's kit

It's just a shame that glorious Italian national champion's kit won't be seen again...also...is that Italian champ's Merida going to get scrapped, after just two months, for a European champ's paint job? If so, you know where to send the old one...

13:22
Actor Eddie Marsan rants about cyclists ignoring red lights and bike lanes

Nigel Havers and Christopher Biggins have company in the 'actors ranting about cyclists' club. The Happy-Go-Lucky and Hancock actor Eddie Marsan couldn't help but have a pop at cyclists jumping red lights...which, in turn, became a rant about bike lanes, cyclists filtering too close and the Highway Code. So close to the bingo full house...

Marsan's in good company in the club...

Since going quiet about the Kensington High Street cycle lane, Havers' This Morning segment has been pissing off popular restaurant critic Jay Rayner. While just the other week, Biggins was explaining why he voted for Brexit to Nigel Farage on GB News...

Anyway, rambling over, back to what you're here for. The inevitable replies which followed...

12:07
1-0 Sam Bennett? Sprinter named in Deceuninck-Quick-Step line-up

Someone get Patrick Lefevere somewhere to sit down...Sam Bennett has been named in the Deceuninck-Quick-Step squad for Friday's Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen just days after his boss accused him of "playing with his balls in public" and threatened a pay cut. Racing, and thus avoiding three months of inactivity, should see those threats fizzle out to nothing...

11:41
Paris-Roubaix Femmes route details announced

The first ever women's Paris-Roubaix is coming on Saturday 2 October. Race organiser ASO has released the full route details and confirmed the route will include 17 sectors of cobbles, covering the final 85km of the men's route and finishing in the iconic Roubaix velodrome.

The day will be 116.4km long and starts with three circuits around Denain, before joining the same route as the men after 31km. It means the women will race the five-star sectors Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre. 

ASO also released the men's route, but it is pretty much unchanged from the brutal parcours fans will be used to seeing the peloton race.

11:15
Josh Quigley seven-day cycling distance world record attempt: 36 per cent of the way there

You fear the worst when a Josh Quigley video with an ambulance pops up on your timeline...sorry, Josh. You've got form on that front...

Thankfully it's nothing more than a bit of friendly roadside support as the endurance legend smashed day two of the record attempt. He's now up to 786 miles in two days...36 per cent of the record total. Just another 340-mile day yesterday...and possibly another today...and the day after...

Keep your fingers crossed that's the last paramedic he meets this week.

11:01
Relive the Tour of Britain with the Ineos Grenadiers

You can probably tell I'm a sucker for these behind the scenes at pro races vids that have become increasingly popular as team's beef up their YouTube output. Yesterday, we had Alex Dowsett's take on the opening few stages. Today, it's Ineos Grenadiers' entire race packaged neatly into one 14 minute video...a lunchtime treat.

10:06
"This stupid country in one short story": Reaction to London to Brighton bikes on trains ban

No shopping allowed on trains on Christmas Eve. No bikes allowed on trains on the day of London to Brighton. No bags allowed on trains over Glastonbury Festival weekend. Guess which one of these is real...

09:45
How not to park No. 4378

Some solutions...

Rory Meakin went for: "A rotary cutter to trim overhanging debris like this or a tow truck driving round looking for such things?"

Sonsu added: "Stiff fines the only solution. But as the police doesn’t do anything there won’t be any improvement any time soon." To which the aptly named 'You Park Like a C*nt' account replied: "Fines need to reflect the wrongdoer’s financial circumstances. Otherwise it’s just a punishment for the poor." 

08:38
What Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's dress really said...

'Tax the rich' on a dress? Maybe Jeremy Clarkson will rock up on Amazon wearing a 'tax the cyclists' coat? 

07:47
Calls for proper bike lane after Sheffield cyclist hit by turning driver

Saif was knocked down while riding past stationary traffic sat next to the empty bus lane. The video sparked a debate about who was at fault, with some saying the Range Rover driver's positioning made the situation worse, while others lay the blame solely with the Peugeot driver.

Either way, it's a scenario cyclists who ride regularly in urban areas have probably experienced at some point or other. What would have helped, as Saif points out, is some proper infrastructure on the Ecclesall Road.

Of course, getting infra's just one part of the puzzle...especially if it's done like the Cork cycle lane we featured on the blog recently. A local rider took their first spin down the new cycle lane...only to narrowly avoid being hit by two drivers. I think the emphasis here is on building proper infra...(and changing drivers' attitudes to cyclists).

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